THE Jigawa State Justice Sector and Law Reform, says it has trained 20 rape victims at its Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), to become self-reliant.
Mr Lawan Buba, Executive Secretary of the Commission, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Monday.
Buba said the beneficiaries were trained in various income generating trades at the empowerment centre.
NAN reports that the SARC was established in 2016 by Jigawa government in collaboration with the Department for International Development under its Justice for All (J4A) programme.
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The SARC was opened at the General Hospital Dutse to provide counselling services to victims of rape in the state and document evidence against rapists.
He explained that the centre also assisted rape victims to overcome the trauma, feel secure and quickly reintegrate into their respective communities.
“The empowerment centre was opened at our SARC in Dutse General Hospital in order to train victims or their parents in trades so that they will be able to take care of themselves and become self-reliant.
“So far, we’ve trained 20 victims in various income generating trades.
“If a victim is not old enough to receive the training, then we trained his or her parents or guardians.
“We also train those who dropped out of school as a result of trauma or stigmatization and return them back to school.
“We also counsel residents, teachers, students and some of the patients,” he said.
The executive secretary stressed that it was important for families, friends and communities to show love and care to rape victims.
“For such victims to fully recover, they need adequate and proper family and community care,” he stressed.
Buba said lack of proper family care was a major cause of rape in the state, adding that the agency had been conducting community-based counselling and sensitisation on the dangers associated with it.
He reiterated that the commission would continue to fight for justice for rape victims in the state.
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